


Any Better Than This

by lady_macgyver



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Secret Santa, Time Tots, time family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 01:11:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5608090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_macgyver/pseuds/lady_macgyver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas is for family, and surprises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Any Better Than This

They met on Christmas. On the actual day, which to this day makes her smile despite hating the day. If there is one thing to smile about, it’s because of _him_. Not that she had ever expected to be smiling about _him_ for _that_ kind of reason.

Oh no, she had never expected to be in a position that she is in now, the alien lying beside her, sheet bunched up around his waist, and head buried beneath his pillow. Burrowing further under the covers, she buried head against his side and swung her leg around him, causing him to let out a loud puff of air.

“Morning,” the Doctor rumbled and turned so they were a tangled mess of limbs. Mouth close to hers, he swooped in for a kiss and held his lips against her. “Mmm, wonderful.” Pulling back slightly to yawn loudly, he smacked his lips and let his head drop to her chest. “Even better.”

“Going to fall asleep again?” Donna giggled, her fingers slipping into his hair.

“It’s quite possible,” he nodded against her. “Your chest makes an amazingly peaceful pillow.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone make reference to my breasts that way.”

Placing soft kisses against her bare skin, his fingers dancing under her vest, he hummed. “Shame that…or not, especially since I’m not too keen to hear about your past exploits this early in the morning.”

Giggling as she tickled the back of his neck, she shook her head. “Oh, I _do_ apologize Doctor, for bruising your ego. Shall I kiss it and make it better.”

Raising his head from its resting place, he let his lips fall into a lazy smirk and waggled his eyebrows. “Well, since you’re offering.”

“Mummy, _daddy_ , wake _up_!”

Jumping slightly as their door swung open loudly and two bodies barreled into their room. Turning onto his back, the Doctor glared up at the ceiling slightly. “I thought you were supposed to warn us before they interrupted?”

An amused hum shifted over the room and Donna let out a full laugh as she helped her youngest crawl into their bed while their daughter sat at the edge of the bed, bouncing. Her brunette curls were sticking in all directions as she looked between her parents.

“Good morning darling,” Donna smiled and reached down to smooth out a wayward curl while her son scooted toward his father.

“Good morning mummy,” Eileen beamed and crawled up to kiss her mother’s cheek. Curling into her embrace, she stared at her father who was making silly faces at her brother. “We _need_ to go to gran’s.”

“Oh do we?” the Doctor murmured, sliding his eyes toward his wife as Max stood and began to jump on the bed. “And why is that?”

“Because Santa came to her _house_ and that’s where the presents are,” she told him, as patient as a five year old was able. She stuck out her lower lip, her eyes narrowed slightly. “Right Mummy?”

 

“Right darling,” she nodded, holding back a laugh as Max stopped bouncing and mimicked his sister’s expression at their father. “And it appears, Doctor, we have two very determined children who want Christmas to start now.”

Looking between his children, he opened his mouth only to click his teeth shut. “Of course.” Kicking his way out of the covers he helped Max down and then Eileen before shaking his head. “And we also have a time machine, so…”

Stretching her arms over her head and grinning at the Doctor’s obvious stare, Donna shook her head. “You can play that card with me, Doctor, but not your children. So get your butt in gear, and prepare to spend the day with my family.”

*

Holding onto her mug, Donna watched as the Doctor crawled along the floor with Max who was currently playing with his newly acquired airplane. Eileen was enjoying her coloring book that one of the Wednesday girls had given her, pointing out various cartoon characters to her great-gramps who was helping her.

Feeling the sofa dip next to her, Donna bit the inside of her lip as her mother surveyed the scene around them.

“This was nice,” Sylvia opened with, her own mug balancing in her hands. “Having you for the holiday.”

“It really was,” Donna agreed, her voice on guard. Though the bridge had been mended between the two, Donna was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. For her mother to make a crack about her own mothering skills, or to say something about the Doctor in front of the children. She never _did_ but the unfortunate nagging still made its way in the back of her mind.

Humming slightly, Sylvia took a sip of her drink and settled into a comfortable position on the sofa. “You know, dinner won’t be ready for another hour or so, why don’t you and the Doctor take a walk? Dad and I can watch the kids, and you can get some alone time with your husband.”

From the floor the Doctor stared up at his mother in law, eyebrow raised. He felt Max run the airplane on his arm and make proper propeller noises while he lazily made his airplane go around the carpet.

“Are you…”

“I’ll get the coats,” the Doctor suddenly called out and watched as the two women jump slightly. Slowly standing as his son took the other toy, he bounded out of the room.

“You leaving?” Max asked, toddling over to Donna and resting his hands on her knees.

“Just for a little while,” she told him with a nod. “Daddy and I will be going for a walk.”

“I want to go for a walk!” Eileen called out and made to slip out of her chair. Wilf put a gentle hand on her arm and shook his head.

“How about you stay and color with your old gramps, eh? We’ll make a couple pictures for your parents to put in the TARDIS?”

Looking between the adults, and then her father who was standing in the doorway, coats in hand. “Okay.” Shrugging a little she hunched over her coloring book, the want to go for a walk already forgotten.

Letting the Doctor help her into her coat, she flipped her curls out. “We’ll be back soon to help…”

“Take your time,” Sylvia stressed and waved her hand. “I’m sure I can scrounge up a helper or two in the kitchen if I need to.”

Nodding, Donna felt the Doctor take her hand and pull her toward the door. Stepping out into the December chill, she burrowed into her coat and linked arms with him, allowing him to take a slow but steady route up the street. They walked in silence, the chill slowly ebbing away with their stroll.

“You were keen to leave,” Donna finally ventured and watched as he shook his head.

“You know me, not always good to leave me cooped up too long,” he retorted. Watching her nod sagely, he gave a little laugh and then tugged her down a side street.

“So, where are we going?” she murmured. Around them the sun was slowly going down, the cool air making the night look stretched out and dulled, in a pretty sort of way.

“I do believe there’s a park not far from here,” the Doctor murmured back, almost to himself. Uncharacteristically silent, his strides became longer and Donna was grateful their arms were linked. Jogging a little to keep pace with him, she glared at him slightly, wondering _why_ he was acting this way. Used to his eccentricities – or most of them – she was about to snap at him to slow down when she found herself walking through the gate of a park.

As his strides began to slow to a more normal pace again, she took in a deep breath. The cold stung a little, but it was always good to be out, stretching her legs. After years of travelling with him, Donna had gotten used to always being on the go. Not that she was always happy with their fast paced lifestyle, but she was at least used to it.

“Here we are,” the Doctor announced, stopping in what looked like a normal park setting. Trees were surrounding them and there was a small bench for them to sit. Having her sit first, the Doctor sat on the edge of the bench, his leg bouncing and his body seemingly buzzing with nerves.

“What is with you?” Donna finally snapped, nerves getting the best of her. Licking her lips, she stuffed her hands in her pockets.

“Donna, you know I love you.”

Swallowing, she nodded slowly. “And I love you too.”

“And I know when we did get married, it wasn’t exactly conventional, nor did either of us really mean for it to happen, but it did. And I’m happy it did,” he bubbled out, hands gesturing wildly. His leg stopped bouncing and he placed a hand on her knee, rubbing a slow circle. “These past seven years, they’ve been wonderful, beautiful, and crazy.” Smiling at her, she felt herself smiling back at him though feeling a tightness against her chest.

“They really have,” she agreed, and put one hand over his.

Slipping his hand into one of his pockets, the Doctor took a deep breath. “And I’ve wanted to ask you this properly for so long now, but I didn’t really know what you’d say. I mean, I had a run on conversation in my head about it, and I talked with your mum and Wilf and they said I was being daft and to just do it…”

“Doctor,” Donna snipped.

Shaken out of his speech, he stared at her, eyes wide. “Yes?”

“Normally, I don’t mind your rambles, but I’m starting to get quite cold.”

Wincing a little, he gave a chuckle and then produced a small box from his pocket and turned it over in his palm. Giving a slow smile, he took a deep breath and looked up. Donna’s eyes widened as she kept her gaze on the box, swallowing against a dry throat.

“Doctor,” she whispered and gripped his fingers on her knee.

“I should have given this to you years ago,” he told her wryly. “I know we _talked_ about it, and you scoffed at the idea, saying you didn’t need anything like this, but I want you to _have_ something like this. And when I saw it, I thought of you.” Opening the ring box, he cleared his throat. “Donna Noble, will you do the honor of becoming my wife again?”

Staring down at the rose gold band, an Asscher cut diamond flanked by blue topaz, she sunk her teeth into bottom lip. “You dumbo.”

Laughing, the Doctor took out the ring and slipped it on her finger that she held out for him. Leaning into him, she kissed him soundly and slipped her fingers into his hair.

Moaning into her mouth, he scooted closer and deepened the kiss, his tongue prodding slightly at her lips. Arms circling her waist, he felt her tongue against his and smirked against her lips. Pecking her lips once more, he pulled back a little.

“Hold on a mo’,” she said, and pulled back, arms still around his neck. “You talked to my _mum_ about this?”

Chuckling, he nodded. “And your gramps.”

“Yea, yea, I heard that and I can also see that, but my mum?”

“Hey, I also talked to Eileen and Max!”

“They’re our children,” she told him drily.

“I’m aware as I was there when we made them and you gave birth to them,” he remarked back. “But yes, I spoke to your mother and told her what I wanted to do. I think she likes me a bit more because of it.”

Giggling as his chest puffed out slightly, Donna shook her head and looked at the ring. “It’s beautiful.”

“Like I said, I thought of you when I saw it.”

“Charmer.”

“Indeed.”

“Modest too,” Donna smirked. “How did I get so lucky?”

“You’re just one lucky lady, I guess.”

“Oh you guess, huh?”

“And I’m one lucky Time Lord,” he told her, kissing her gently. “How can life get any better than this?”

 


End file.
